Today, more and more people are practicing yoga, hooping, and outdoor praying as a lifestyle choice and a form of exercise and/or communing with nature. Because these activities are often practiced away from home, it is necessary for a user to have a way of carrying her equipment (mat, hoop, towel, etc.) from place to place. There are currently several totes on the market for carrying yoga mats. Most of them are configured so that the user can sling the mat over her shoulder like a purse, and a few of them are configured so that the user can wear them across her back with the strap diagonally across her chest. Both of these styles are limited in the security they offer, and restrict the user's movement.
For instance, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0043135 to Lindsey discloses an exercise bag that can hold a rolled up yoga mat on the user's back in a backpack style. However, Lindsey's device comprises cross-over straps and also includes a large bag for clothing and other equipment as well as the yoga mat. U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,322 B2 to Alane discloses a rolled up yoga mat with two integral encircling straps on the ends. However, Alane's device has only one carrying strap, and it is a hand strap, not a shoulder strap. Therefore, Alane's device must be carried in the user's hand, not on her back, and the user's hands will not be free—limiting the use of the device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,196 B1 to Coler discloses a sling-style backpack unit for a rolled yoga mat. However, Coler's device includes only one shoulder strap and so is not intended to be worn in a backpack-style.